Poison affair was a murder scandal in France during the reign of the king Louis XIV. It began a period of hysterical pursuit of murder suspects during which number of prominent people were implicated and sentenced for poisoning and witchcraft. Louis XIV (Louis-Dieudonné) (September 5, 1638 – September 1, 1715) reigned as King of France and King of Navarre from May 14, 1643 until his death. ... The skull and crossbones symbol traditionally used to label a poisonous substance. ... The term witchcraft (and witch) is a controversial one with a complicated history. ...

The furor began in 1676 after the trial of Marie-Madeleine-Marguerite d'Aubray, Marquise de Brinvilliers, who had conspired to poison her father and brothers with her lover army captain Godin de Sainte-Croix in order to inherit them. There were also rumors that she had poisoned poor people during her visits in hospitals. She fled but was arrested in Liège. She was forced to confess, sentenced to death and in July 17 was forced to drink 20 gallons of water, beheaded and burned at a stake. Events January 29 - Feodor III becomes Tsar of Russia First measurement of the speed of light, by Ole Rømer Bacons Rebellion Russo-Turkish Wars commence. ... Marquise de Brinvilliers being tortured Marie-Madeleine-Marguerite dAubray, Marquise de Brinvilliers (1630-1676) was a French poisoner. ... Liège (Dutch: Luik, German: Lüttich) is a major city located in the Belgian province of Liège, of which it is the capital. ...

The trial also drew attention to number of other mysterious deaths and caused a number of rumors. Prominent people, including the king Louis, become alarmed that they also might be poisoned. King forced some of his servants to become his foretasters. He told Nicolas de la Reynie, who, among other things, was his chief of police, to root out the poisoners.

Authorities rounded up number of fortune-tellers and alchemists that were suspected of selling not only divinations, séances and aphrodisiacs, but also "heritage powders" (ie. poison). Some of them confessed and gave the authorities list of their clients, who had allegedly bought poison to either get rid of their husbands or rivals in the court. This man in Rhumsiki, Cameroon, tells the future by interpreting the changes in position of various objects as caused by a fresh-water crab. ... Alchemy is an early protoscientific practice combining elements of chemistry, physics, astrology, art, semiotics, metallurgy, medicine, mysticism, and religion. ... This man in Rhumsiki, Cameroon, tells the future by interpreting the changes in position of various objects as caused by a fresh-water crab. ... A séance (pronounced: ) is, on its most basic level, an attempt to communicate with the dead. ... An aphrodisiac is an agent which causes the arousal of sexual desire. ...

The most famous case was a witch and midwife Catherine Dechayes Monvoisin or La Voisin, who implicated number of prominent people. They included king's mistress Françoise-Athénaïs, marquise de Montespan, Olympe and Marie Anne Mancini and marshal François Henri de Montmorency-Bouteville, duc de Luxembourg. She said that de Montespan had bought aphrodisiacs and performed black masses with her in order to gain king's favor. She had worked with a priest named Guibourg. There was no evidence beyond her claims but the bad reputation followed these people afterwards. Françoise-Athénaïs de Rochechouart, Mme de Montespan Françoise-Athénaïs de Rochechouart, marquise de Montespan (October 5, 1641 - May 27, 1707) was a mistress of Louis XIV. Born at the chateau of Tonnay-Charente, in todays Charente-Maritime, France, the daughter of Gabriel de... François Henri de Montmorency-Bouteville, duc de Piney, called de Luxembourg (January 8, 1628 - January 4, 1695), marshal of France, the comrade and successor of the great Condé, was born at Paris, France. ... In Christian tradition Black Mass is the name given to a ceremony supposedly celebrated during the Sabbath, which was a parody of the Christian Mass. ...

Monvoisin was sentenced to death for witchcraft and poisoning and burned at a stake in February 22, 1680. Marshal Montmorency-Bouteville was briefly jailed in 1680 but was later released and became a captain of the guard. Minister Jean-Baptiste Colbert helped to hush things up. February 22 is the 53rd day of every year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Events First Portuguese governor was appointed to Macau The Swedish city Karlskrona was founded as the Royal Swedish Navy relocated there. ... Jean-Baptiste Colbert Jean-Baptiste Colbert (August 29, 1619 – September 6, 1683) served as the French minister of finance for 22 years under King Louis XIV. He achieved a reputation for his work of improving the state of French manufacturing and bringing the economy back from the brink of bankruptcy...

De La Reynie re-established the special court, the Chambre Ardente ("burning court") to judge cases of poisoning and witchcraft. It investigated number of cases, including many connected to nobles and courtiers in the king's court. Over the years the court sentenced 34 people to death for poisoning or witchcraft. Two died under torture and several courtiers were exiled. The court was abolished in 1682. Chambre Ardente (Fr. ... Events March 11 – Chelsea hospital for soldiers is founded in England May 6 - Louis XIV of France moves his court to Versailles. ...

Books

• Anne Somerset - The Affair of the Poisons: Murder, Infanticide, and Satanism at the Court of Louis XIV (St. Martin's Press (October 12, 2003) ISBN 0-312-33017-0